Need to Vent

[zumalong]

I don't see much activity on this board, but there must be some nursing educators/instructors out there. We have a situation at the school I teach for. One of the students is very incompetant. She has been placed on clinical, safety, care plan probation. But rarely does this result in dismissal from program--it is actually a joke among the students because they know it probably won;t amount to anything.

This student is a tech at an area hosp. and is like a bull in a china shop--she thinks she knows it all. But when it comes to any nursing interventions, she can't even make a bed correctly. She has a personal vendetta against one of my co-workers. This teacher is excellent. She is very knowledgable and caring. She works hard to make sure the students are safe and knowledgable during clinical. This student has focused in on her--because she was the first to place her on probation. (It could just have easily been me in this situation--but the other instructor had her first)

This student started a petition to get the instructor fired--this inflammed the rest of the students. The petition went nowhere--so now she has filed a greivance with admin about the instructor. I am so sick of the students being able to do whatever they want. We are walking on eggshells because admin wants to keep the census up for the money (all are state funded)

What kind of nurses are we turning out into the public??? Some of these dangerous students will be able to pass boards because they have test taking skills. There have been several times I refused to sign a final evaluation because I did not want my name as stating this person met criteria they did not meet. I have dealt with fights in the classrooms, drug use in clinical, plagerism, cheating of all kinds, incompetance from students and staff at times, and one time had my life threatened by a student who was dismissed from the program because of patient abuse. (I was 8 mo pregnant at the time). The lack of respect I see in the classroom to all instructors is distressing. How can we help a nursing shortage with this behavior that is being tolerated.

I wish I could say that it was due to a certain type of student, but I teach in a rural area and a large metropol. area and the results and behaviors are the same. I would love to hear from other instructors to see if it is occuring elsewhere.

If you managed to read this to the end--thanks for letting me vent

[Mandylpn]

Originally posted by zumalong

Update---the 3 students involved tried to have a greivance meeting against the instructor. They did not follow chain of command, so it has not gone anywhere yet.

What is so difficult is this one dangerous trouble maker is going to be allowed to graduate. We were told to treat her with kid gloves and make sure if we watch her in clinical, that we don't go into her patient's room without another witness!!! Can you believe this garbage.

I went into nursing because I love helping others. I still worry whenever I leave the unit that I forgot something and inadvertantly harmed a patient. When I began teaching, I tried to bring my accountability to my students. But some of these students coming through have no sensitivity, accountability, or respect for anyone. It is very scary.

All I can say is that the agencies that are hiring new grads really should contact the instructors to see what exactly they are hiring. This is one student I will never give a reference to, or even sign her final evaluation--because this says I feel she is competant to be a nurse.

Watch your loved ones when they are sick!!!!

I am a student and in defense this would never roll at my school "treat with kid gloves", are you kidding? The rules are the rules and they apply to all. My teachers are tough, and that's the way I want them to be, make me learn it the right way. I have had instructors who made me cry, but I still respect them. It is nice to read an instructor's point of view.

[infinity]

Stay the course!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a practicing RN, I can't tell you how embarassed I am to see what type of grads are out there on the floors attempting to care for patients.

Skills should be taught in manners, giving and accepting criticism, and communication--maybe before actual nursing theory!!

I have wondered how some of these Grads got through school and now I know: instructors who have decided to pass them to help the nursing shortage. Please stop helping us!!!!!!!!!!!! You certainly aren't thinking of the welfare of all those patients relying on these new nurses!!

We need nurses, but we need well-educated nurses. How can a person who has never been there determine they know more than the instructors?

Give the students your best-and that would include your experience-the real world will knock some sense into them. I certainly hope your administration listens to you and not the students--

You have my full support.

[imenid37]

We had one of these nuts when I graduated 17 years ago. She was always cheating on every test. She did graduate and I heard she flew the coop on two hospitals and took sign on bonuses even though she did not fulfill her obligation. She was not 20 years old at the time like I was, she was in her 30's and a mom. Absurd behaviour knows no boundaries of age, race, gender, etc. Just ask teachers of school-age children whose 30, 40, 50 year old parents go to bat for them and try to defend their violent or immoral behaviour. I was an object of a lot of "cattiness" and gossip by supposedly mature, mostly women students because I got good grades. Let's see at the time, I lived at home, had few financial obligations, no kids, etc. I certainly had the opportunity to study and get good grades. Why the hell are we nurses and nursing students so darn snotty? That han't changed over the years. as an instructor, you have a lot to put up with.

[hmccartn]

i am not an intructor, but a nursing student up in Canada. I am very sorry to hear about the students in your program. Sounds like there is too much garbage going on for it to be an isolated incident/student. That is quite scary to me. In my program I dont see many of the things you spoke of. So either, I am too busy with schoolwork that i dont pay attention, or the students at my program are a little different. Hard to say. I think that nursing programs are going to be attracting people who are just there for the money...because of recruitment efforts to ease the shortage. As opposed to people who enter the profression, and stay in it, for the right reasons. in our program we have those performance improvement plans for clinical practice (if someone needs improvement or is unsafe), plus they have a clause about professional unsuitability....that the dean can just eject you from the program if you behave like the students you have described... among the students these interventions are taken very seriously and people cringe at the thought of beign "PIPPed".... best of luck with your situation...